The extremely rare ‘pink’ dolphin spotted in North Carolina, United States, has sparked an online debate about its authenticity. Numerous pictures of this rare pink dolphin have gone viral on social media, leaving many in disbelief and questioning if the images are real or AI-generated.
Rare pink Dolphin spotted off the coast of North Carolina! pic.twitter.com/qTQQCgZvU3
— Facts matter (@1800factsmatter) June 18, 2024
The handle asserted in the comments section that the images are not AI-generated and mentioned that pink dolphins appear occasionally, noting that the last sighting was a few years ago near Louisiana. According to the handle, albino dolphins are just rare.
The photos depict the dolphin surfacing and diving off the coast of North Carolina.
One post claimed that on June 19, a rare pink dolphin was stranded on the coast of NC Hatteras and was saved by a kind-hearted man who returned it to the ocean. Another X account, Figen, shared images of the ‘pink’ dolphin, captioning it as a rare sight.
Social media users quickly pointed out that the dolphin, a bottlenose, could be pink due to albinism but not this intensely pink, suggesting the image was photoshopped. They emphasized that the picture was not AI-generated but still fake, with one user commenting it looked like a well-made toy.
Last year, a rare white-colored dolphin, named Casper, was spotted by whale watchers in California. Casper, believed to be either albino or leucistic, swam alongside the boat, showcasing a magnificent sight. Both conditions lead to a reduction in pigmentation that typically defines the species’ coloration.
